Sapphiro, Knight of Solver amd Steel
by Sapphiro Ao
Summary: This is an experimental project I've been working on. It is technically an original work, but since the main character was originally an RWBY oc, I think I can post it here. do read this and give me criticism, so I can expand on my writing.


A project Ive been working on. Do give me criticism, so I can grow./

Chapter One: Steel

Steel. Steel that a man carries defines his personality, his power, and his destiny. If a man holds steel to craft, his destiny is defined with what he makes, and who he makes it for. If a man uses steel for combat, his destiny is defined by how many people he has killed, how many people he will kill, and by what steel will kill him. Steel can call one to grow, or bring one to die. Steel can tell one's whole story.

This is one such story.

It was a quiet. It was a cold, silence fallen dark, shattered by daybreak over a small town. The sun's rays spread throughout the town of Westin, over and along the roofs of each house and shack. An older woman, was watering her garden, following her morning routine set by her husband. She had many flowers and plants, from grape vines and tomatoes to roses and violets. As she began to grow closer to her flowers, she noticed something which struck her with worry. In her roses, a blue rose had grown at the edge, and had been wrapped around a fig, with its thorn piercing a fig leaf. The woman squatted down, and began to try and pull the rose off of the fig, hoping to keep the fruit intact. The woman looked upwards, and had dropped her steel watering pot, which fell next to the blue rose. Heavy footsteps had filled the quiet silence given by the recently ended darkness, as a man cloaked in a torn, tattered hood walked through the center of the town. His footsteps echoed in the silence as the man walked towards the well in the center of town, placing himself against the well, resting his body. The hood was dirty and tattered, covered in holes toward the bottom, and had concealed the man's upper body. His legs were covered as well, in thick, metal armor, and boots. The man passed out, falling asleep against the stone well.

The light of the bright, hot sun had awoken the man with a start, jumping slightly as he opened his eyes. It was midday, and the small town was incredibly lively. He looked around as he stood up, and watched the townsmen interact with each other, as they went off to take care of their homes and families. He moved away from the well, and weaved through the large crowd around him. As the sun shined brightly, the man looked for a place to stay out of the sun. He noticed a small tavern, and had walked in, his heavy footsteps beating against the wooden floor of the tavern. He took his hood off, sandy and dirty, revealing dark, steel armor. His helmet was round, and sharp, the bottom shaping to his chin rather than staying flat. His armor was round, and beautifully crafted, but with the dark color of his armor, it looked more twisted than beautiful. He sat in a seat at the tavern, taking off his helmet from the top, setting it on the table. The man was pale as a ghost, as if his skin had never seen the light of day. He had a strong jaw, and a very long, slim face. His hair was brown, going down to his neck in locks, and his eyes showed the intensity of a hot fire, but the expression showed that of a calm, cool personality. He waited for the keeper, and listened to the men around him, who seemed to pay more attention to their stories and drinks then the man. They spoke stories of a dragon, whose greed was the most intense than his brethren, a dark sorcerer, who stole the tongues of women and children, and a young boy, who killed his own family for their riches, and grew to become a demon. The man looked away, looking to the keeper as he approached him. "I've never seen you here. Are ye travelin'?" the keeper seemed to be innocent, and eager to please his customers. The man nodded, and looked to the keeper, as he ordered a drink. "What's your name, traveler, and where do ye come from?' The man watched as the keeper had made his drink, and set it on the table in front of the man. "Sapphiro." He stated. His voice was smooth, but intense and powerful. "I come from Christoph." Sapphiro took a sip of his drink, some of the mead spilling down his pale face. "Christoph, ye say? That's a long way for a single man. Are ye on carriage?" the keeper seemed both surprised, and confused, the wrinkles on his face not knowing what to do as he combined his expressions. "No." Sapphiro took another sip of his drink, before, wiping his mouth with his hand. "I traveled by foot." Sapphiro smiled a bit, watching the keeper's disbelief. The keeper laughed, and leaned over the table, a large smile on his face. "I'm surprised. No one has tricked me that bad in years. Good jest!" the keeper elbowed him, and stood back up. "So, will you be staying here tonight, or will it just be the drink?" Sapphiro sighed, letting the matter beforehand go, as he can believe what he wants. "I'll be here for the night. How much for a room?" The keeper's large smile faded slightly, as he raised himself off the table. "It's three silver pieces a night." Sapphiro shrugged, his expression slightly annoyed as he watched the keeper move through what sounded like empty glass bottles. "And why is the price so expensive?" The clinking of the glass stopped as the keeper froze, standing up slowly. "It's expensive, because this is the only inn in the town." Sapphiro didn't complain, as he wanted to sleep in a bed tonight. "Fine, I'll take a room." Sapphiro finished his drink and put three silver pieces on the table, along with two copper, for the drink. He stood, walking up the stairs to his room with his hood and helmet in hand.

The room was quite compact, but to Sapphiro, it felt comfortable, and homey. At the far side of the room, there was a bed against the corner, where the back and farthermost wall meet. Sapphiro sat down, the mattress creaking under his weight. He placed his helmet next to him, and began to look around in more detail. There was a table, with a candle lit on top of it, and a small notebook and brush next to it. The notebook was empty, and it seemed to beg for someone to write in the notebook, and complete its purpose. Sapphiro felt for the notebook. Maybe it was a reflection of his emotions onto an object, or maybe it was just his boredom, but the growing feeling for the notebook urged him to stand, and writer in the notebook. And so he did. He stood up, and began to walk to the opposite corner of the room, sitting in a wooden chair. 'What could I write?' was what he was thinking, before he corrected his thought. 'What can I write?' He thought to himself. He didn't want to expose to anyone of his past, and he didn't want to relive his past, especially all alone. As flashes of memories began to appear in his mind, he shook slightly. The sight and smell of blood, mixed with old and new, the corpses trailed behind him, and all of the horrid, deadly memories he had shoved away had risen from the mountain of suppression he had them kept underneath. He was nervous, and began to sweat slightly as memories of his past began to swell. He stood up with a start, his chair falling backwards to the ground. He left the room, and went back downstairs, so he could order another drink. He hadn't realized it, but he had been in his room for hours, reliving his memories in the silence. He needed to get his mind off of how he lived, what he lived as, and who he was. He quickly slammed his drink, and relaxed, listening in to one old man's story to get his mind away. "The man had changed to a beast, and it ate his wife after he left!" he told a story of a beast, which turned into a man, slept with another man's wife, then had eaten her alive. "So, the beast relates to the change from passion and feast, to overindulgence in both?" Sapphiro had spoken up, drawing too much attention for his liking. "Yes, boy. The beast had experienced love, and foods, but became obsessed, and taking what he wanted, which was too much for his own being." The old man seemed wise, but also had an odd wind by him. The feeling given off by his stare would show near madness, or at least a very odd sense of beliefs. "Why do you ask?" Sapphiro perked up a bit. "I wanted to make sure my assumption was correct. Overindulgence is unhealthy in any form, but what of overindulgence of overindulgence?" the men who had been listening to the old man speak, had started to leave at this point. Sometimes a story had to be left a story, and shouldn't be taken into too much thought. "Young man…" The old man had gotten up from his seat. He had a very long gray beard, which went down to his chest, and a very wide body. He had a lot of hair, which covered his face, and back. "Why do you ask these questions? What would prompt you to think of overindulgence of overindulgence?" The man had a single eye visible. It was a sharp blue, which showed years of experience and wisdom in a single glance. "Well, I am simply the kind of person to think about things like that. I question much, but am not a scholar, nor am I one to usually share these thoughts." Sapphiro shifted slightly, as he began to feel uncomfortable. The old man got closer, and closer, his one, visible eye staring into his, as if looking into his soul. "Your eyes show much, young man. I see steel in your eyes, the cold, stinging pain of loss and regret, the sense of victory and defeat, and much more, which is hidden deeper. I don't know who you are, but you have seen many have not." The man backed away, and left the inn. "You should write down your experiences. If not for the world to see, then for yourself, and for closure." The man left, a slight limp in his left leg as he left the inn. Sapphiro had fallen into deep, silent thought as he pondered his circumstances. He wondered who the man was, and the ability he had gained over his life span to see so much in his eyes. Sapphiro again, shifted in his seat. He was tired, and felt as if a large anvil was crushing him. His movements became slower, and took more energy as he began to move up the stairs again, going back into his room. He sat at the table, and began to stare at the blank paper in front of him. He sighed, shaking his head, and sat on the edge of the bed. He stripped himself of his armor, beginning with his spaulders and gauntlets. As he took off his chest piece, his body figure was shown in much more detail. His body was built, as if he had been hammering against the anvil all his life, and had never stopped. His chest was large, along with his shoulders, and his abdomen were showing prominently through his shirt that had been under his armor. He lay back in his bed, and began to slowly fall asleep, with thoughts of his life and regrets in his mind. A large explosion erupted in one of the houses nearby, a large beast, the size of a building, had busted through. The face of a boar, with four tusks on each side, the body of a man, and the legs and of a reptile was unveiled from the smoke, charging forward with massive claws like a bear. A man in armor side stepped a slash, which took down a building. The man rose from his knees, bringing a long, golden blade up into the beast's torso. The beast roared in pain, and smacked him away with the back of its claw. The man rose from the dust that had been kicked up by his propelled body being flung across the ground. It was Sapphiro, who raised a large, golden longsword, and charged the beast, who also charged. Sapphiro had brought his blade below his waist, stopped at a heavy step at his right foot, and unleashed a large, powerful vertical slash, which cut through the beast's waist. The beast fell, both halves kicking up dirt and dust as they fell. Sapphiro put his blade in its scabbard on his left side, the beast's black blood covered his armor, and he turned to the buildings that had collapsed. Suddenly, another beast had been running down a mountain outside the town's barrier, roaring and screaming for its dead peer. The beast had the body, head, and wings of a dragon, the arms of a man and legs of an ox. Sapphiro turned to see the beast's fist connect with his helmet, sending him flying back. Sapphiro had been stopped by a stone wall, which left a dent in the back of his armor. Blood spewed from his helmet as he coughed blood, and he rose wearily, drawing his blade once again. He sprinted at the opponent, his blade behind his waist at his right side, attempting to slay it in the same way it's peer. He slashed at the beast, which simply backed away, grabbing the blade. Sapphiro jumped back, surprised by the beast's feat, until he realized why this happened. The beast's scales were far too strong to pierce with the blade's swing. Sapphiro backed away, as the beast threw his sword to the mountain's start, and charged him, using its wings to fly low to the ground. Sapphiro had attempted to dodge the next charge by jumping to the side, but the beast let its arm out, the scaly arm catching his chest mid jump, and bringing him into a building. Sapphiro was riddled with large splinters and pieces of wood in his back. Blood ran down his neck from behind his helmet as he tried to stand again, as the beast approached him. It grabbed him by the arm, and whipped him away, throwing him into the dirt. Sapphiro stood once more, knowing that he was out of energy. He ran to his blade, jumping, and rolling past large pieces of wood being thrown by the beast, and grabbed his blade. He rose, and cut a piece of building out of the air, catching the beast off guard. He raised the blade in front of him, both hands on the grip, and waited for the beast to charge again. The beats watched him curiously, then charged, bringing its right arm up for a strong slash. Sapphiro raised his left arm, holding his blade in one hand. As the beast began to lower its arm, some form of gold liquid had jumped out of a pouch on Sapphiro's right leg. The liquid went around his arm, and seemed to harden, forming a heater shield. The liquid had become metal! Sapphiro stepped forward, snapping his shield forward into the beast's strike. A loud crack blasted from the beast's arm, and it fell back, its wrist broken. Sapphiro charged at its momentary opening, putting his left arm behind him as he slashed the beast over and over with his longsword. He then finished by driving the blade into its stomach, its black blood pouring from its wound as Sapphiro pulled it out. The beast fell back, and landed on top of the body of the other. Sapphiro took his helmet off, and grinned with a wide smile. He was victorious, and had saved a town from monstrous beasts. He looked to the broken buildings, thinking about what he should do to help rebuild them. His face took a sudden turn, from victory and pleasure, to that of distraught, and self- disgust. A family was killed in the house he destroyed, trying to save the town. The blood and corpses of a family communing, and eating together found underneath a large, snapped beam. Sapphiro was frightened, and began to sweat. He was scared, because he knew it was his fault.

Sapphiro woke with a start. Nearly falling out of his bed, he got up, and moved to his clothing. He got on his clothes, and placed his armor on, slowly. He began to think about what this armor had been through, as it had been twenty years old now. Yet, the armor looked brand new. He went down stairs, and sat at the same table he sat at yesterday. He felt fatigued, and very emotional. "Morning!" The keeper had greeted him, as spry and energized as he was yesterday afternoon. He leaned over the table. "What can I get ye?" Sapphiro smiled a bit. The man's attitude was refreshing, but it also got on his nerves a small amount, as he felt like he didn't want to speak with anyone this morning. "Just water…" Sapphiro paused, pondering on what he should set his attitude as. "And maybe some red meat." The keeper laughed. "Red meat in the morning? Ye sure are odd." The keeper retreated to the kitchen, the sound of clattering and gathering tools being heard in the inn. Sapphiro leaned back, thinking about his dream. The dream felt like minutes in a full timeframe, but he remembered that fight. It had lasted an entire day. He could never forget. He shook his head, hearing footsteps from the stairs. A beautiful woman, with short, brown hair, and a large man came down the stairs, arm in arm. The man pulled the seat out for the woman, then sat down at the table, beginning to talk to her. Sapphiro's face grew into a scowl, and he turned away. He hated public displays of affection, and was upset by it every time. The man seemed to notice this, as he had begun to smack his lips as the two talked, before kissing. Sappphiro's eyes burned as they made horrid, disgusting noises behind him. Sapphiro was about to turn around, when the keeper came out. "What was it ye wanted again? I believe you only said red meat." The keeper smiled, and saw the two behind Sapphiro. "Hey! If you're going to do that, go back to your room!" The keeper addressed them seriously, as if he experienced this every day. Sapphiro smiled in relief, and looked to the keeper. "Pork, if you will." Sapphiro yawned again, as the keeper left. He felt de-energized, as if he had been carrying large baggage all day. Sapphiro rested his face against his gauntlets, and watched outside, as everyone moved around. There seemed to be a system to the way everyone acted. Every time you saw someone you haven't yet today, you would give a small wave. The second time, you would nod. The third time, you would take them out to eat. It seemed to entertain Sapphiro, until his food came. "Thank you." Sapphiro dropped a silver piece in his hands, and began to eat. Although an overall calm natured person, Sapphiro eats like a rabid hog. He tore through his pork, and finished it within minutes. He stood, wiping his mouth, and put his helmet on. He felt energized after he had eaten. He put his hood on, and left, walking towards the west exit of the town. Westin was a nice place, and a small community, but with an ever growing population. Every morning, the marketplace was packed with people to the inch, and was very loud, but on the edge of the town, things were quit, and there was a lot of peaceful scenery. Sapphiro had watched the sky, the flowers in a flower garden, and eventually, the view of Helleinburst Mountain, which was the largest mountain in the country. Sapphiro's view was stolen as a man and young woman were arguing, the man beating the girl. Sapphiro stood, and stepped forward towards the man. "You little bitch! If you had let the abbot advance, we would have been blessed!" The man struck her, sending her body to the ground. He then turned to see Sapphiro, in his large set of armor, now approaching with heavy footsteps. "You leave! This is not anything that you have to hear! How a man treats his daughter is not to be jud-"he was cut off by an armored hand grabbing his neck, and throwing him aside. The man was large, round, and looked to be quite rich, although his house didn't say the same. The house was battered, stained, and seemed to be breaking down. The girl rose, grabbing Sapphiro's arm. "That man had an Abbot touch me for money! He told me it was for the family, but the money he had gained, he had spent on himself, just like all the rest!" she could barely keep herself up, using Sapphiro to support her. Sapphiro tore his hood off, and looked to the girl. It's okay now." His voice was metallic from the helmet, yet smooth and calming. He looked to the man, placing the girl on the banister. "What kind of greedy, selfish father does that?" Sapphiro advanced, and the man tried to crawl away. Sapphiro grabbed him by his pants, picking him up. The man squirmed and shook, yelling as he tried to escape his grip. His pants ripped, causing him to fall into the dirt. "Please! I'll give you whatever you wish, my money? My three girls? Please!" Sapphiro scoffed at the man, a more and more intense scowl growing underneath his helmet. "You truly are the lowest of men." Sapphiro kicked him, and the man cried out in pain, falling on his back, still begging. Sapphiro shook his head, and walked back to the girl. "Come with me. I think I have a place you can stay." He picked the girl up, and brought her with him. He knew he was missing travel time because of her, but he didn't want her to be tortured and wasted away with the old man she was with.


End file.
